


Chocolate Truffle

by Esin_of_Sardis



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Child!Rumbelle, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-06
Updated: 2014-03-06
Packaged: 2018-02-07 08:03:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1891443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Esin_of_Sardis/pseuds/Esin_of_Sardis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rumpel has a sweet tooth. They became friends after she helped to smuggle him into a shop full of candies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chocolate Truffle

The candy shop was the favorite of all the children of Storybrooke. Every wall was filled with jars of sweets of every flavor and color. Chocolates sat in paper boxes, ready to be bought and eaten one by one. Lollipops as big as Belle’s head sat in the window display, their bright colors catching in the sunlight and making bright patterns of their shadows. The glass cases were filled with fudge—dark chocolate, white chocolate, toffee, turtle, caramel. Peppermints and tubes of not-yet-colored marzipan filled the half-shelves across from the counter. The smell of baking and chocolate filled the warm air.

After school, the children would bring their pocket money and buy sweets from Belle’s mama. Her papa ran the flower shop across the street, but no one went there much. Only boring adults, that is. As soon as school let out, Belle would run across the yard and through the back streets so that she could reach the shop before anyone else. Her mama would greet her at the door and give her choice of one item from the shop for the day. Minutes later, the other children would arrive and the shop would be filled with their chatter.

Belle wandered the shop as if she were its queen. She did her homework on the top of the glass counter, concentrating both on her handwriting and keeping her feet from kicking the glass. Later in the evening, she would curl up between the gingerbread and the display of gummy bears and Swedish fish to read.

“Belle?”

“Yes Mama?” She poked her head up over the shelf.

“Could you take this to the mailbox, sweetheart?”

Belle slid her book between the jar of gummy worms and the one of gum drops. Her little feet slapped on the polished wood floor as she scurried to take the letter from her mama. It was thick and on stiff white paper. Adult paper. Yuck.

The mailbox was made of white wood. Spiderwebs stuck to the post and sides of it. Carefully so she didn’t touch them, Belle opened the box with one finger. She stood on her tippy-toes to stick the letter in and slammed the door shut. Again with one finger, she lifted the red flag on the side.

Task finished, she took her time walking back to the shop. It was nice out. Spring was beginning. It was lovely to be able to go outside without a jacket. Instead of returning in the back door, Belle walked around to the front. She loved seeing all the warm lights in the shops. The streets were just beginning to get dark, so at first Belle didn’t notice the small figure crouched next to the back door of the shop.

“Hello? Who is it? Jones, if it’s you, go away. Mama told you not to come back here.”

The figure didn’t move. Belle walked closer slowly. “Hello? Can you come out where I can see you? Please? What’s your name? I’m Belle. My mama owns the candy shop.”

The figure didn’t move so Belle could see him easier, but didn’t run away either. He was small, no more than Belle’s age. His dull brown hair was badly cut around his ears. His clothes were worn and dirty. As she got closer, Belle realized they were much too big for him. He was almost her height, but much thinner.

Remembering her mama’s instructions about meeting new people, Belle stuck out her hand to the boy. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Y’too,” the boy mumbled, taking her hand for a barely moment before dropping it.

“What’s your name?” Belle asked. She wasn’t supposed to talk to strangers, but if she knew this boy’s name, he couldn’t be a stranger, could he? She’d never seen him around school. That was odd—she thought everyone had to go to school. That’s what her papa said.

“Gold,” the boy said.

“That’s a funny name,” Belle said. “Your parents just called you Gold?”

The boy shrugged.

“What are you doing out here?” Belle asked. “Aren’t you going to come inside?”

The boy shook his head. “Can’t go in. Not allowed. The sign says so.” He nodded his head at the white sign on the door that read No shirt, no shoes, no service. Belle looked down and saw that Gold’s feet were bare. They were dirty too and she thought she could see some dried blood. It wasn’t polite to scrunch up one’s nose at another’s appearance, so Belle tried not to.

“Can’t you get some shoes?” she asked.

Gold shook his head.

“Why are you here then?” Belle asked. People came to the stop if they wanted to buy candy. Gold couldn’t buy candy.

Gold ducked his head so she couldn’t see his face. “I like looking at the pretty things through the window.”

“Don’t be silly,” Belle said. “You don’t look at candy. You eat it.”

“Eat it?” Gold said, his eyes lighting up as if he’d never realized that before.

“You’ve never had candy?” Belle gasped, horrified. “Never ever?”

Gold shook his head, staring in through the window, his eyes alight, taking in the sight as it truly was for the first time. The light was fading fast so the warm light from the shop glowed more and more golden.

“Listen,” Belle said. “Tomorrow, I want you to come around here after school. I’ll see if I can get you into the shop. Okay?”

Gold nodded, his eyes shifted between her and the window. He seemed unable to tear his gaze from the sight for more than a moment.

“Okay. Good night, Gold,” Belle said.

She ran up the steps to the door of the shop, barely hearing his mumbled, “G’night, Belle.”

——

The next afternoon, Gold made his way along the side streets and alleys towards the candy shop. It wasn’t that he was forbidden from walking the main streets, but he knew no one liked it when he did. His stomach did another flop as the candy shop came into view. He was going to break a rule. He was going to break a rule. He’d never done that before.

There weren’t many rules in Gold’s life. Don’t come to the house until dark. Don’t ask questions. Don’t be a bother. Don’t go inside the shops. Don’t tell anyone else about the rules. It was simple. Easy. The lady his daddy hired said that the rules had to be simple. He wasn’t sure why. He was smart enough to follow more rules. Across the street, children from the school hurried into the candy shop. They did that every day. Gold paid attention to things. That’s how he was so smart.

On the ground next to the trash bins behind the flower shop where he stood, a rose had fallen. It was rather crushed on one side, but other than that in good condition. Gold picked it up and tucked it in the bag he wore on his back. It still had his food for the day in it. He’d found that it was much easier to fall asleep full than empty.

Only once the other children were gone did Gold emerge. He crossed the street as quickly as he could. He disliked being out in the open.

Belle was waiting for him when he reached the door to the flower shop. She was very pretty, he realized. Almost as pretty as the lollipops in the window case of the shop. He stumbled as she grabbed his arm. “You’re late,” she hissed.

“Sorry.” Gold’s stomach twisted again. She was upset with him. Slowly, he pull the flower from his back and handed it too her. Belle’s eyes lit up at the sight of it.

“Thank you!” she exclaimed and tucked his flower in her hair. “Quickly, put these on.”

She held out a pair of white sneakers. They were obviously made for a girl, but Gold knew better than to complain. At least they didn’t have any pink on sparkles on them. Gold put them on best he could, feeling a pang of dismay to see his filthy feet inside their perfect whiteness.

Belle grinned and grabbed his arm the moment the shoes were on, nearly pulling him over once again. She pulled him inside the shop before he could object. The bell on the door rung, but no one looked their way.

The inside of the candy shop was more heavenly than Gold had ever dreamed. The very air was sweet to the taste. He seemed to be enveloped in warmth and good smells. All around him, other children were laughing and talking. His eyes couldn’t look everywhere at once. He didn’t know the name of anything or what any of it would taste like, but he knew it would be delightful only from the smells and looks.

He let Belle pull him along as his eyes wandered the shelves and displays. They stayed as far from the main counter as possible. Belle didn’t stop until they were in between two shelves taller than each of them. They were filled with rows and row of paper boxes under glass displays of rich, dark candies.

“Mama lets me have one piece after school each day,” Belle said, drawing his attention from the shelves to her face. “But cause you’ve never had candy, today you can have my piece.”

“No!” Gold said. “You don’t have to. It’s alright. I don’t need any.” Don’t be a bother. Don’t be a bother.

Belle face scrunched up. She was very pretty, Gold thought, if she could still be pretty when making such a face. “Don’t be silly,” she said in the same cross tone she’d used with him the night before. “I want to give it to you. So shut up and take it.”

Gold gulp and nodded. That seemed to do the trick for Belle smiled again. Opening one of the glass cases, she pulled out one of the candies. It was dark brown and spherical, about the size of a rubber ball.

“This is a chocolate truffle,” Belle said, slowly and clearly. “It’s hard milk chocolate on the outside and smooth and creamy chocolate inside.”

Gold nodded, pretending he knew what she meant. He didn’t know what chocolate was, but it looked good.

“Go on,” Belle said, holding the chocolate truffle out to him. “Try it.”

Tentatively, Gold took the chocolate from her outstretched hand and put it in his mouth.

It was wonderful. Sweet and unlike anything he’d ever tasted before. He bit into it and the creamy chocolate filled his mouth. It was just like he’d imagined—no, it was even better. He closed his eyes, savoring the rich taste.

It was gone too soon. Gold opened his eyes, an involuntary grin spreading over his face. Belle was watching him, nearly bouncing with excitement. “Do you like it?” she asked.

Gold nodded emphatically. “Thank you,” he said.

“Come on,” Belle said, reaching for his hand. “Let’s go back outside. My homework can wait a bit. Do you like to jump rope?”


End file.
